Mounting for electric chime signal devices



Nov. 2; 1948.

G. L. BOSSARD MOUNTING FOR ELECTRIC CHIME SIGNAL DEVICES Filed Nov. 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. 6/55mr A Bass/Mp.

Nov. 2, 1948. G. L. BOSSARD 2,452,897

MOUNTING FOR ELECTRIC CHIME SIGNAL DEVICES Filed Nov. 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fisunnnnn INVEN TOR. 6/552??? 4. 5055mm,

Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED .ISTATES PATENT F F'ICE 'IMOUNTING FOB ELECTRIC 'CHIME' SIGNAL (DEVICES Gisbert L. -Bossard, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 22,1946, Serial'No. 711641 4 (Claims. 1

' This invention-relates -to-.asignal device; 'particularly an electromagnetic actuated :chime =wherein electromagnetically controlled strikers are positioned for striking 'oppositelymounted tonalbars or tubes, reference'being maderto my Letters Patent No. 2,307,104, granted J anuary' 5, :1943, entitled Signaling device.

1:It;is'the object ofithe invention to improve 'upon signaling ;devices of this character, particularly in respect to the constructional arrange- .ment and mounting of the several parts such as Y to facilitate assembly and mounting; and accordingly efiect economy'inproduction.

One featuresofi the inventionresides in the supporting frame forithesseveral units such as to i minimize i dampening efiect of i the L tonal-vibrations and give free play to: the soundwaves, eliminating false resonating and compression between the supporting structure and tone bars. "This is accomplished by providing a channel type of sup-.1

porting frame having a backplate from which forwardly extending side walls or supporting webs extend,'but wherein said webs are cut away intermediate their ends to eliminatethe creation thereby of cbjectionableresonator chambers opposing the true resonator chambers in theform of tubes, and thereby causing a dampening'effect of the tonal vibrations. vBy providing the cut :away portions, free play is given to the sound waves, eliminating such false resonating and any compression of thesound waves between the webs and tone bars supported thereby.

Another-feature of the'inventionresides in the structure of the supporting frame to provide a ,simpleform of-three:point:suspension upon a supportingwall or thelike suchas to space'the :back plate of the frame." therefrom irrespective of :any irregularities in the surface I thereof, and

:wherein said'rthree ,pointsuspension comprises countersunk; securing devices alsoacting to' pro- ;vide for reinforcement of the back plate; :the *rfipficing: from i the :Wfiill, or the like by s the "three :point :suspension providing ample space :for the wiring gcon-nections such --as to --prevent,- interfer- .1;8!J.C8':Wlth"th8 tonal :bars and strikers.

- .-A furtherfeature-of-the invention resides in ,the form rand "structure of the supportingfframe wherein-it :is providedc-with reinforcing --ribs to preventbuckling of the. back plate -or :Webs; or @misalignment of the :parts v assembled :and: carried -thereby :;due to ithe long ,leverage exerted .,thereon -bythev tonal :;,bars and; resonator chambers. This structure serves to rei-nforce theside malls-or .websand-prevent their; distortion rela- -tiveIto .the back ;plate. ;Consequently,-thersolenoid actuated striker'wi1l-ata1l times strike. the tonalbar correctly; obtaining maximum tone volume. .The top-and bottom cover rbracketawas well as the front cover plate are provided :with openings for free passage of sound waves. :Such arrangement eliminates interference -with the free flow of sound-waves pastthe actuating unit, and also effectively prevents any .wiring.from touching the tonal bars and therebysdampen and v:alter their tonalcharacteristics, thereby-acting .as a wire guard of. simpleconstruction.

The full nature ofthe inventionwill be-understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description: and claims:

Fig. -l is a front elevation; of the signal. device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevationofthe operative, structure with the front .cover removed.

:Fig. -3 isa bottom plan view of the structure shown in 2.

Fig. 4 .is a --secti0htaken on the line-4-4 'of ..Fig. .2 gshow-ing the cover. plate mounted thereon.

Eig. 5 is a cross section through one "of the resonator tubes showing the mounting stud there- Fig. 6- is. a top plan'view of the signal :dev-ice rInsthe drawingsthereis-illustrated a signal device-i-n.the form of electromagnetic actuated .cl-iimes .Whereinthere is provided a supporting frame including a'baekplate l0 and forwardly ,extending. webs forming the side walls. "The back plate is provided with triangularly spaced countersunk openings, one at the top thereof indicated at l2 and? tw-oat' the-bottom indicated at l3for receivingsuitablesecuringscrews for fastening the frame'to a support "suchas a wall -or;.the like. The triangularlyspaced countersunk .portions provide a three point suspension-suchias to accommodate the frame to an irregular surface in a spaced relation thereto -forproviding wiring space.

,;backplatearereinforced near their lower and upper ends by the struts [8 formed thereinwhich permits-'them1to be cut away at their central por- ,tion -.:without materially decreasing their "struc- -tiiral strength. -zEachofvthe-webs =H is formed with a V-shaped cut away portion IQ for elimination of any obstruction to the free play of the sound waves and thereby avoiding false resonating and tone compression. Said cut away portions i 9 are opposite and coextensive with the more effective tonal area of the tonal bars 2%, 2| carried thereby.

Said tonal bars are each associated with a spaced resonator tube 22, 23, respectively. Each of said tubes is sealed at its opposite ends by the closure caps 24. They each are provided with a pair of mounting studs 25, so arranged that they support the tubes adjacent each end thereof and in mathematical relation to their corresponding support of the tonal bars, such as centrally of the upper and lower halves thereof, respectively. Said studs are riveted to their respective tubes so as to be rigidly secured thereon through the usual ping action of the riveted head 26 and opposed shoulder 21. At a prescribed distance from the tube each of said studs is formed with an end thrust bearing shoulder 28 and a threaded end portion 29 for receiving a, locking nut 30.

Each stud carries a rubber grommet 3i mounted within an aperture 32 in the tonal bars 20, 2| in knife-edge engagement with the peripheral edges thereof. Carried by the stud between the grommet and resonator tube on the one side and the grommet and the web H on the other side there are sponge rubber spacing washers 33. Thus, the resonator tubes are each supported in spaced relation on opposite sides of the webs H and the respective tonal bars 20, 2i are mounted in association therewith and in spaced relation therebetween, having a knife-edge support on the stud mounted grommets in a manner to minimize any dampening of their tonal vibration.

Intermediate and centrally of said tonal bars there is an electromagnetic actuating unit in the form of a housing 35 formed with outwardly extending bracket supports (it and enclosing the actuating solenoids for electromagnetic operation of the striking plungers 3! carried by the plunger tubes 38 supported within the solenoids, as shown in my application, Serial Number 690,874, filed August 16, 1946, for Electromagnetic device. Said unit carries a terminal plate 39 having terminals M! with which the wiring 4| is connected leading through an aperture 42 in the back plate I to a suitable source of current. The bracket supports 36 are secured to the back plate by the screws 43 with interposed rubber grommets 43a which serve to prevent operative noises from reaching the supporting wall.

The above described structure is such that upon the upper solenoid in the housing 35 being energized its double actin striker 3'! will strike the bar 20, and upon it being deenergized the opposite end thereof will be driven from the tube 38 to strike the bar 2i. The lower solenoid is single acting so that when energized the striker 31 contained within its tube 38 will strike the bar 26 and upon being deenergized it will be returned to its starting position so there will be only the one tone. The bars 22, 2i are, therefore, struck in their central area with the major vibration thereof between the supporting grommets 3| and directly opposite the cut awa portions I 9 of the webs H so that the sound waves generated thereby are unobstructed and may impact directly with the resonator tube associated with the tone bar.

Whereas the tonal bars herein shown are of different thickness by means of which different tones are obtained, it is obvious that they may be of the same thickness, but of different lengths. However, it is found that bars of equal length but of different thickness have manufacturing advantages in respect to time and die cost over bars of different lengths. Inasmuch as the bars 20 and 2! are of diiferent tonal characteristics, their respective resonator tubes 22, 23 must have corresponding tonal characteristics. Thus, the tube 23, being associated with the thicker tone bar 2|, has a correspondingly shorter chamber. This is effected by dividing it with internal end walls 24a. Otherwise, the resonator tube 23 without such internal end walls 24a would be of less length externally than is herein shown,

The cover plate It is in the form of an arcuate shell having outwardly and inwardly curved ribs 45 partially embracing the tubes 22, 23 and provided with a series of elongated slots 45 extending vertically on each side thereof opposite the tonal bars for free passage of the sound waves. Also, the top and bottom portions of said cover are only coextensive in width with the width of the back plate I!) so that the space in which the tonal bars vibrate is open and unobstructed by the cover both at the bottom and top thereof. While one form and design of cover plate I6 is herein shown, said cover plate may be of different design or structure, as for instance comprising an enclosing housing, without departing from the invention.

While the forms of the device herein shown and described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such precise forms thereof, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. A signal device including a back plate, webs extending forwardly from each side of said plate at right angles thereto, said webs being cut away throughout the central portions thereof, resonator tubes mounted on said webs in lateral spaced. and parallel relation thereto, tone bars supported by said webs between and in spaced relation to said tubes, respectively, and an electromagnetic actuating unit secured to said back plate having laterally operating strikers for selectively striking said tone bars substantially centrally thereof to set up sound waves opposite the cut away portion of said webs, whereby said webs will not interfere with said sound waves and the tonal quality and volume of said bars and resonator tubes.

2. A signal device including a supporting bracket having side walls adjacent each end thereof cut away centrally for providing an open space throughout a substantial central portion thereof, an electromagnetic actuating unit secured centrally of said bracket having strikers operable through the open space of said walls, a tone bar and associated resonator tube supported by each of said walls oppositethe open portions thereof positioned to be selectively struck by said strikers, and a three point suspension and spacing structure formed on said bracket comprising outwardly formed apertured bosses, one of said bosses being positioned centrally of said side walls adjacent one end thereof and a pair of said bosses being positioned adjacent the other end thereof in spaced relation.

3. A signal device including a back plate having forwardly extending side walls cut away a substantial distance throughout the central portion thereof, tone bars supported in parallel spaced relation to said side walls, an electromagnetic actuating unit secured to said back plate between the cut away portions of said Walls having strikers for selective striking engagement with the respective tone bars, resonator tubes supported with said tone bars in parallel spaced relation thereto and on the opposite side thereof from said Walls, respectively, and a cover plate removably mounted upon said back plate embracing said tone bars and extending over said tubes with elongated apertures therein opposite said tubes, said cover plate having rearwardly extending supporting webs for interlocking engagement with the upper and lower ends of said back plate and within the space between said 1 tone bars and tubes to avoid interference with the free passage of sound waves therefrom,

4. A signal device including a back plate having forwardly extending side walls cut away at the center through a substantial portion of the u Number length thereof, an electromagnetic actuating unit secured to said back plate having laterally actuable strikers operable through the cut away portion of said walls, a tone bar supported in parallel spaced relation on each side of said walls exteriorly thereof positioned to be struck substantially centrally thereof by said strikers, bosses formed on said back plate to extend rearwardly therefrom and apertured to receive mounting screws for securing and supporting said plate in spaced relation to the mounting therefor, and a terminal plate secured to the front of said unit for receiving electric wire connections extending through an aperture in said back plate from the space provided by said bosses, said side walls acting to protect said tone bars from contact by said wires.

GISBERT L. BOSSARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Karnell Oct. 8, 1935 Rittenhouse Feb. 6, 1940 Lord et a1 Mar. 26, 1942 Bossard Oct. 8, 1935 

